Everything You Wanted To Know About Gianna Bryant, 13, Who Was Confirmed Dead Alongside Dad In Horrific Helicopter Crash
Rest in peace, Gianna Bryant.
Getty Images She was poised to be her father's legacy. As the daughter of the legendary Black Mamba, she had a heavy burden to bear. How, possibly, could anything she do in basketball measure up to her father's greatness?
But not only was she succeeding in doing what her father did, and more, her own father bestowed the blessing of an amazing legacy upon her — going so far as to call her the Mambacita (Baby Mamba) — he was known as Mamba — and trademarking the name for her.
And now, just as her career was starting to take off, her life is over. Who is Gianna Bryant, Kobe Bryant's daughter who died in the horrific helicopter crash that killed nine people?
Let's look at what we know about her life, her legacy, and what went wrong on that fateful helicopter crash.
1. Who is Gianna Bryant? She was the second daughter of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant.
Born Gianna Marie Onore Bryant, she was the second daughter of the late Kobe Bryant and his longtime wife, the former Vanessa Urbina (who went by Vanessa Laine in her professional career). After her mother suffered a miscarriage in 2005, Gianna Bryant was born in May 2006.
Interestingly, she was born six minutes before Shaquille O'Neal's sixth child, Me'Arah Sanaa O'Neal, with his now-ex-wife, Shaunie.
2. Even though her father "gave up the game" in 2016, her passion for basketball brought him back into it.
When Kobe Bryant retired from basketball in 2016, he said that he completely walked away from basketball. However, he also said that he shared a "special bond" with "his baby Gigi," as his daughter was known, and the duo was frequently seen together practicing her various basketball moves.
As a result of Bryant's passion for the game, Kobe Bryant started getting involved with basketball again.
3. Kobe Bryant said that his daughter was his "heir to his legacy."
"The best thing that happens is when we go out and fans would come up to me and she'll be standing next to me, and they'll be like, 'You've gotta have a boy, you and V [Vanessa, his wife] gotta have a boy. You gotta have somebody to carry on your tradition, the legacy. She's like, 'Oy, I got this," Bryant said. "I'm like that's right. Yes, you do, you got this," Kobe Bryant said about Gianna Bryant in an interview.
4. She had plans to go to the University of Connecticut.
The University of Connecticut, colloquially known as UConn, is considered a "women's basketball powerhouse," and Kobe Bryant said that his daughter was "hellbent" on going there. In fact, she was so devoted to the game of basketball that he started watching basketball again, long after he gave up the game.
Upon Gianna's passing, the UConn Women's Basketball team honored her at a recent game with a jersey bearing her number.
5. Just one day before the crash, Kobe Bryant was coaching her.
In photos released, Kobe Bryant was seen coaching Gianna Bryant just one day before the crash. The photos, which were taken at the Mamba Sports Academy, show the Black Mamba "drawing up plays" and giving sage advice to his charges... charges which include Gianna Bryant.
6. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing.
While the investigation into the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Gianna Bryant, Kobe Bryant, and seven others is still ongoing, the flight pattern of the helicopter has been released.
There, it's shown that the helicopter circled around Glendale for at least 15 minutes before proceeding forward, and ultimately crashing into the hills outside of Calabasas, CA. Bad weather may have played a huge role in the crash.
Our thoughts are with Gianna Bryant's family during this tragic time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.